Ballygunner 2-16
Mount Sion 0-9
BALLYGUNNER SECURED TITLE number thirteen in decisive fashion against great rivals Mount Sion at a blustery Walsh Park today.
Man of the match Brian O’Sullivan totalled 2-2, including two crucial first half majors. Dead ball specialist Pauric Mahony hit ten points, five in each half. In a defence that only gave away two points from play; Stephen O’Keeffe, Barry Coughlan, Philip Mahony and Wayne Hutchinson all put their best foot forward.
The wind assisted Gunners held a four point advantage by the break (2-5 to 0-7). O’Sullivan secured his first on seven minutes after Pauric Mahony’s free broke in his direction. He placed his shot to the far corner beyond Ian O’Regan. After 14 minutes, he skated past marker Christopher Ryan and blasted home from close range to give last year’s runners-up a seven point cushion (2-3 to 0-2).
Sion took control of the second quarter as Austin Gleeson sheltered his under-fire full back division. Five frees from Martin O’Neill took a chunk out of the lead before the half time whistle.
Mount Sion missed three glorious goal chances on the restart to resurrect their hopes. Ian Galgey spurned the best of them when he flicked the sliotar wide with the goal at his mercy. Despite the heroic efforts of Gleeson, they failed to register for the closing quarter.
The red and black kicked on with Barry O’Sullivan and Harley Barnes adding their names to the scoresheet. Wayne Hutchinson barred entry at centre back. JJ Hutchinson bagged a brace for the runaway winners and Brian O’Sullivan completed a sparkling personal contribution with an injury time point. Gleeson was dismissed in the dying embers on a second yellow card.
Scorers for Ballygunner: Pauric Mahony 0-10 (7fs, 1 65’), Brian O’Sullivan 2-2, JJ Hutchinson 0-2, Barry O’Sullivan, Harley Barnes 0-1 each.Scorers for Mount Sion: Martin O’Neill 0-7 (7fs), I Galgey, R Roche 0-1 each.
Ballygunner:
1. Stephen O’Keeffe
2. Stephen O’Keeffe
3. Barry Coughlan
4. Alan Kirwan
5. Shane Walsh
6. Philip Mahony
7. Wayne Hutchinson
8. David O’Sullivan
9. Shane O’Sullivan
10. Barry O’Sullivan
11. Pauric Mahony
12. Harley Barnes
13. Brian O’Sullivan
14. JJ Hutchinson
15. Conor Power
Subs: P Hogan for C Power (38), C Sheehan for Barry O’Sullivan (49), Barry O’Sullivan for D O’Sullivan (53), S Power for Barry O’Sullivan (56), R Cunningham for Kirwan (59), G Molloy for Barnes (62).
Mount Sion
1. Ian O’Regan
2. Mark Hoban
3. Christopher Ryan
4. Stephen O’Neill
5. Michael Gaffney
6. Austin Gleeson
7. Owen Whelan
8. Martin O’Neill
9. Stephen Roche
10. Tony Browne
11. Eoin McGrath
12. Martin ‘F’ O’Neill
13. Richard Roche
14. Sean Ryan
15. Ian Galgey
Subs: P Penkert for C Ryan (H-T), K Stafford for S Ryan (47), M Daykin for R Roche (51), G Carroll for Martin ‘F’ O’Neill (52).
Referee: Martin Curran